Ace Alice
by Entwinedlove
Summary: One-shot. / Alice and Bella talk about boys. All human AU


Originally released on my Tumblr (IvyEntwined) on July 4, 2017

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"Jasper's decided on the University of Maine," Alice said as she browsed the small collection of nail polish she'd brought to Bella's house. "I told him he'll be bored getting a degree in Forestry and Environmental Sciences but what do I know, right?" She gave Bella an eye roll and picked up the sparkly pink polish. She held it out to Bella for her opinion and Bella nodded, not really caring what color she'd picked.

"Isn't that going to be hard, you know, for your... physical relationship?" Bella asked. She and Edward had been butting heads about progressing in the physical aspect of their own relationship and it had been on her mind since the argument. The argument that had included a marriage proposal as a compromise for sex. They hadn't spoken in three days. She had needed time to cool down before she tried to explain to him that she wasn't ready for marriage. She could just hear his voice in her head saying something about sex and a baby being just as big a commitment like he had no understanding of birth control at all. She shook her head to dispel the thought. She still wasn't ready to talk to him.

"Oh, I thought you... well, of course not. I'm ace, so there isn't too much physical stuff to miss." Alice had already started on Bella's left hand and she continued, smoothly coating each nail with an even spread of polish.

"Ace? What does that mean?"

Alice stopped and looked up. "I'm asexual. I don't experience sexual attraction."

Bella's nosed scrunched and she blinked at Alice, "...but you're in a relationship with Jasper?"

"I'm in a _romantic_ relationship with Jasper. We do things other couples might. We go out on dates, we buy each other presents. We cuddle and kiss and spend a lot of time together. We just don't have sex."

"Oh," Bella said, still feeling wrong-footed. Had she ever done or said something that offended Alice when she'd talked to her about having sex with Edward? Before Bella could put the words together to ask, Alice continued.

"We tried it once," she paused and shuddered theatrically then added with as much certainty as possible, "Dicks are gross, Bella."

Bella chuckled. She might not have had any first-hand experience but she'd seen enough porn to know that dicks did look weird. "Vulvas are gross, too," she said.

Alice laughed. "Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not a fan of those either! I'm still straight, I like boys. I just, don't particularly like or enjoy sex."

"Is that difficult for Jasper? Or is he ace too?"

Alice smiled and looked down, embarrassed. "No, he's not ace. That's why we tried sex... because he's... he's a sexual being. He never pushed or anything but I felt bad getting him all... riled up all the time with kisses. It was weird. So now if things get too heated, he asks for a little alone time to, you know, meet his needs by himself." Alice closed up the nail polish that was in her hands and set it back in the tray with the others.

Bella felt like there was something Alice was working up to as she stared at the carpet a few feet away so she waited. When Alice finally blinked and looked back up at Bella, she smiled but it looked a little sad.

"We've talked about different ways to handle it. An open relationship. One-night stands. Adding a third person to our relationship. There are lots of different solutions. We haven't decided on anything yet. I... I am a little worried that while he's away at college across the country and I'm still here in high school he'll find someone that can meet his needs better than I can. But I trust him. If she happens to come along he wouldn't lie to me. And who knows? Maybe this time next year, we'll have found just the right thing for both of us." She bounced in her enthusiasm, rocking the bed they were sitting on. "Besides," she said, plucking two bottles of polish from the tray and holding them up next to each other to debate the color. "he is my adopted brother. It's not like he's going to be out of my life completely if we break up. You can't tell me how weird it is that we're all 'together.' We all know how weird it is. I'm just thankful that Carlisle and Esme are as understanding as they are about it. Now, which do you like? The bright yellow or the hot pink?"


End file.
